Carrying forward the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to connect eastern India to the Natural Gas grid, the Government of Jharkhand and GAIL (India) Limited on Thursday signed a Gas Cooperation Agreement (GCA) for creation of Natural Gas and City Gas Distribution infrastructure, which will facilitate construction of “<g data-gr-id="40">Urja</g> Ganga” Jagdishpur – Haldia Pipeline project in the state.
The GCA was signed here in the presence of Raghubar Das, Chief Minister of Jharkhand and B C Tripathi, GAIL Chairman and Managing Director by K Ravi Kumar, IAS, Director, Industries, Government of Jharkhand and A K Jana, GAIL Executive Director (Marketing - Joint Venture & International Gas Sourcing).
The Jagdishpur-Haldia Pipeline (JHPL) is slated to pass through six districts of Jharkhand, i.e., Bokaro, Giridih, Hazaribagh, Singhbhum, <g data-gr-id="78">Ranchi</g> and Dhanbad. It will cover a total of 340 km in the state, of which 174 km will be mainline and 166 km <g data-gr-id="42">spurlines</g>.
The pipeline can be used to provide Natural Gas as fuel to the Steel Authority of India plant in Bokaro, fertilizer plant at Sindri which is under revival and proposed CGD networks in Ranchi and Jamshedpur. It is estimated that the Natural Gas demand in Jharkhand can reach 8.80 <g data-gr-id="41">mmscmd</g>.
As part of the GCA signed on Thursday, GAIL and the Jharkhand Government will evaluate ways for cooperation in development of use of eco-friendly fuel Natural Gas and related infrastructure, promotion of Joint Venture for CGD projects and study various options to evaluate the energy demand (including for Natural Gas, LPG and other liquid hydrocarbons) in the state.
The Department of Industries of Jharkhand shall coordinate grant of all necessary permissions and clearances required for <g data-gr-id="69">development</g> of Natural Gas, CGD, distribution <g data-gr-id="70">infrastructure</g> and associated facilities. The GCA will also facilitate <g data-gr-id="79">establishment</g> of pipeline connectivity from the seven Coal Bed Methane (CBM) blocks awarded in the state to various consumption centres.